News

Six Renbrook musicians participated in the 2018 Northern Region Middle School Musical Festival on March 23rd and 24th at Wethersfield High School. These students were selected to participate out of hundreds of students across northern Connecticut based on their successful auditions in January. (L-R) Sahil A. (voice), Nathan C. (trumpet), Mariapaula G. (voice), Benjamin R. (voice), Alice M. (voice), and Olivia D. (french horn) all performed. Congratulations!

During the 7th grade Life Science course, a unit of study focuses on people’s capacity to form emotional attachment to a variety of living things, and dogs are the best example. During the celebrated “Dog Unit,” students deepen their understanding of the emotional attachment that exists between humans and dogs in a number of ways. In addition to inviting well-behaved family dogs to visit their class, the students welcome representatives and their dogs from the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation and Oak Hill, an organization that helps people with disabilities. In addition, Ben Garson from Dogology explained how a master dog trainer trains a dog, and two owners of therapy dogs explained the therapeutic effect of dogs in settings such as schools, hospitals, airports, libraries, and prisons. The students enjoyed being with two pugs, Oscar and Murray and Beau a Labrador/basset hound mix. The unit culminated with a bake sale and a fundraiser event to benefit Fidelco. The entire school was invited to attend the big event where seventh graders organized a number of experiences and activities, including a “blind obstacle course,” a dog trivia game, and an auditory challenge: “Do you speak dog?” Local pet supply stores also donated items for a blind auction. The centerpiece of the event were three Fidelco puppies-in-training – Piper, Valor, and Wookie – and everyone present them and many had their picture taken with a Fidelco puppy in the puppy photo booth. It was a great group effort and the bake sale and Friday event raised over $2500.00.

7th graders got a visit from Ben Garson, master trainer from Dogology and his dog Judah, a 100-pound German Shepard to discuss training techniques. This expands on the lesson about alpha dog vs. submissive dog and how to teach manners to dogs as part of their 7th grade dog unit in science. It’s always a fun and heart-warming way to bring learning to life at Renbrook!

Inspired by Hannah Brencher’s “Love Letters to Strangers”, https://www.ted.com/talks/hannah_brencher_love_letters_to_strangers Renbrook School students in the Upper School (grades 6-8) composed notes of love and encouragement that will be tucked around campus for lucky recipients to find. Students were give a simple directive: write something you wish somebody would tell you when you’re feeling down. From that starting place, ideas, compassion, and kindness flowed. Click https://tinyurl.com/yby6vt36 to view the letters.

Best-selling author Jessica Shattuck will be at Renbrook School at 2865 Albany Ave. West Hartford, CT on February 6th at 6:30 p.m. discussing her latest novel “The Women in the Castle.” This event is free and open to the public and will include a book discussion, sale, and signing. This event is free and open to the public and will include book sales, discussion, and author signing. Reserve your seat at www.renbrook.org/shattuck
Shattuck’s most recent novel, “The Women in the Castle”, is a New York Times Bestseller, and The Hazards of Good Breeding was a New York Times Notable Book, a Boston Globe best book of the year, and a finalist for the 2003 PEN/Winship Award.

Ms. Burger shows some students how to play the Ukulele. What instrument did you learn to play in school when you were growing up? 

The Renbrook Lower School (Preschool-Grade 5) Service Learning Committee formed a partnership with Gifts of Love in Avon and recently participated in their Holiday Program. Each grade level was given a family to spread joy to during the upcoming holiday season. They sponsored a total of eight families and through the generosity of the Renbrook Community was able to get everything on their list and then some!

Renbrook sixth graders showed their support for Heifer International with their 17th annual International Marketplace on campus. Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. Renbrook is the only school in Connecticut that offers an entire curriculum around Heifer International. Students learn to write letters asking for donations and practice public speaking for the marketplace where students persuade visitors to donate. Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in 30 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become more self-reliant.The students raised Sixth graders showed their support for Heifer International by learning to write letters, ask for donations and practice public speaking for the marketplace. So far the students raised $9334.50! For more information, visit www.heifer.org

Staff Sergeant Warren Toland was on campus addressing the students about what it means to serve one’s country. He is a veteran that has served in Afghanistan, and he is on active duty in the Army National Guard. Immediately following the assembly he worked with the 8th grade to show them how to raise and lower the flag.

On October 27, 2017, Renbrook held its 2nd annual Alumni Career Day for 8th and 9th graders. Four alumni returned to Renbrook to talk with students and answer their career- and school-related questions. The goals of the program were to give students a look at some careers and career paths, to show them the (sometimes curvy) road to a career, and to instill a sense of being a part of a community bigger than the students and faculty they see at school every day. View pictures at: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm54HHym

Award winning filmmaker Nirvan Mullick speaks to educators and entrepreneurs around the world about the critical need to foster creativity, the power of storytelling, and the potential of every moment to have an impact. He will be at Renbrook School on Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m in Stedman Auditorium. This event is free and open to the public  Please RSVP. 

To celebrate the success of a great start to the school year, the Parent Association scooped ice cream for the entire school on Friday! What a treat! You can view more pics on the Renbrook Flickr page: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm79TJYU

The Kindergarten students explored the Renbrook campus on Friday and enjoyed a bit of sunshine. See more pics at: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm878pSi

Orientation ended up being a beautiful day with lots of smiling faces! Welcome back everyone! Especially our new families.

Over 100 students at Renbrook School in West Hartford ran 1.5 miles (2 kilometer) around campus on May 30 for the 8th annual Renbrook Kids 2K. After the race, students organized backpacks that were donated filled with new school supplies to benefit Gifts of Love and the Community Farm of Simsbury. See the pics on our Flickr page! https://flic.kr/s/aHskWkDc3s

A beautiful evening with friends, delicious food, great music and a very generous community, we could not have asked for more. On behalf of all at Renbrook School, thank you for celebrating with us.